Racket case and press.



RACKET CASE AND PRESS. APPLIUATION FILED Nov.14, 1911.

y Patented May 28, 1912.

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UNITED sTATns aTENT OFFICE.

IRVING c. WRIGHT, on DoRcHESTER, AND DAVID P. CUMMINGS, OF NEWTON,

' MASSACHUSETTS.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28,1912.

Application filed November 14, 1911. Serial No. 660,226.

i To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known'that we, IRvING C. `WRIGIIT Y and DAVID I). CUMMINGs, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Dorchester and Newton, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Racket Cases and Presses; and we do hereby declare the following to be `a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it'appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to receptacles or cases for tennis rackets.

It has for its object to provide ak convenient receptacle for a racket which shall contain the means for pressing or keeping the racket in shape while in the case, mak-` ing, in short, a combined case and press. I accomplish this by providing the article set forth in the following specification and appended claims.

` In the accompanying drawing-Figure 1 is a plan view partly broken away; Fig. 2

is a longitudinal, vertical section; Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. t is a sectional detail of a modification illustrating a casing and press for two rackets.

In the drawings, 10 denotes a casing, preferably of metal, which may be covered with a skin or casing of leather or similar material. It will be observed in Fig. 2 that this casing conforms, preferably, to the general contour of a racket. While the sides of the handle part are nearly parallel, the bote tom of the casing curves slightly to approach the line of the bottom of the headsection of the casing, while the top of the head-section or cover 11 is gradually inclined. The hinged cover 1l has a reinforcing strip 12, which is preferably of wood or some convenient strong but light material. The cover is secured over the casing by any form of fastening but we prefer the form illustrated in detail in Fig. 3, which is that of a spring clip 13 whose lip takes under the bottom of the casing.

Within the casing are two cross-pieces which together form a press 14. The sectional illustration of Fig. 2 indicates the familiar manner in which the cross-pieces are joined, while Fig. 1 illustrates the substantially X-shaped piece which they form. Secured to'or embedded in one side of the X-shaped press-piece is with a threaded sleeve 16 corresponding through the center of the press 14ak A setscrew or thumb-screw 17 passes through a perforation in the top or cover of the casing and has the customary washers 18, 19. It is the function of this thumb-screw to work in the threaded perforation 16, and to elevate and depress the press 14, compressing or releasing from pressure the head of the racket. When .pressure is applied to t-he center of the X-frame the force is communicatedV to the ends of the pieces and is, with a certain desirable flexibility, applied to the head of the racket.

The construction described would serve the desired purpose but an additional and more complete effect is produced by the use of springs 20 which are provided to press upon the head of the. racket at the Vpoints indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. Various arrangements of these springs may be made. In the form illustrated it is secured at one endV tothe reinforcing strip 12 of the hinged cover 11 and at the other end is a slot 21 projecting into a ametal plate 15 n,

perforation which passes.

which is guided by a pin 22 secured inthe It will also be observed that in the construction illustrated in Fig.` 2 the cover exerts a certain pressure upon the head of the frame by the mere act of closing thc cover. At the point 23 the reinforcingpiece 12 of the cover comes into contact with the top of the X-frame and would by this simple arrangement prevent the distortion of that part of the Aframe while the springs would serve, as described, to exert pressure on the other end 0f the head of the racket. This arrangement is advantageous in case the player should neglect to operate the screw 17. All of these provisions combined serve effectively to form a press within a case.

In Fig. 4la modification is illustrated showing a casing and press for holding two rackets. The features are identical with the single form described,.excepting that be* tween the two cases is a U-shaped intervening plate 24C by which the pressure applied to the upper racket is communicated to the curved head of the lower racket. The' plate is secured in place by a strip 25.

The utility and convenience of this device is obvious. It enables the player to at once dispose of his racket after playing Without the necessity of subsequently removing it and putting it into a press. It also 'enables him to carry the racket from place to place constantly under pressure until put into use.

We claim:-

1. In a racket-ease, the combination of a oase having a rigid backing, a press Within the ease, and means for operating the press to force the racket against the rigid backing.

2. In a racket-case, the combination of a cover, a screuT passing through the cover, and a press-frame carried and operated by the screw Within the case.

3. In a racket-case, the combination of a receptacle, a screw Working through the cover of the case, a free frame composed of cross-pieces within the receptacle and suspended and operated by the screW.

4. In a racket-easeJ the combination of a cover, a sereT passing through the cover, means for dividing the casing into receptacles Jfor different rackets, and a press-frame carried and operated by the sereT to apply pressure to all of the rackets.

5. In a racket-case, the combination of al hinged cover, a frame Within the ease, springs adapted to one end of the cover for exerting pressure upon the frame when the cover is closed, and means for applying additional pressure upon the Whole frame.

6. In a racket-ease, the combination of a hinged cover, a frame Within the case and arranged to lie at the Jforward end in eontact with the cover and the racket, pressure springs at the opposite end, and a central pressure means operating upon the frame.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

IRVING C. IVRIGI-IT. DAVID P. CUMMINGS.

Witnesses:

LEO. F. RYDER, BERNARD E. CARBIN.

Copies. of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

